Matthew Fitzpatrick is following up his victory at last week’s Heritage tournament by joining younger brother Alex for the PGA Tour’s pairs event.
Team Fitzpatrick will compete at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with an eye to impressing Europe Ryder Cup team captain Luke Donald ahead of this year’s showdown with the United States in Italy in September and October.
A week after sharing 10th at The Masters, the elder Fitzpatrick beat American Jordan Spieth in a playoff to capture the Heritage.
“It was just a bit of a whirlwind, as it always is when you win,” said the Englishman.
“I’m delighted with last week. It was a very special win for me and just felt my game improved pretty quickly from Augusta to Harbour Town. I saw some really positive things.”
Brother Alex was on an aeroplane heading for New Orleans.
“We’re pretty close. I think we’re polar opposites,” Matt said. “I’m organised, he’s unorganised. He’s happy, I’m miserable. That’s probably a good way to put it really.”
Alex agreed, joking, “Hopefully I kind of piggyback off him this week and we kind of ham-and-egg it and hopefully have a good result at the end.”
“Ham-and-egg it,” Matt said. “Wow, you turned very American in your four years at college.
“I think the good thing about both our games, Alex is a very good iron player and he’s got a great short game and I feel like my strengths are driving and putting. Certainly, alternate-shot works quite nicely.
“He’s very good at making a lot of birdies. If I can kind of just steady the ship, I’ll just let him loose at trying to make some birdies.
“If I can keep my form going and we can gel well, you never know what might happen.”
Fitzpatrick becomes a prime attraction at an event not among the select “elevated tournaments” the PGA has created to ensure big names play against each other.
“Winning the US Open obviously you get a few extra perks,” Matt said. “This was an opportunity to play with my brother, and you don’t know how many of those you’re going to get.”
Two-time Major winner Collin Morikawa of the US said PGA competitions are about more than just the bigger-money select events.
“Just because it isn’t a top-15 player in the world doesn’t mean that it’s not compelling or it’s not enjoyable to watch,” Morikawa said.
“What this week offers is something very different. It’s a team event. So when you have a week like this, they’re fun … it still is exciting, but you have to learn the stories of the other people.”
© Agence France-Presse
